UML chief rules out possibility of alliance with Maoists at the centre
CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has said his party is ready
for some kind of electoral alliance, at the local level, with other left
parties and those favouring democratic republic.
Nepal said such an alliance is possible since "it is necessary to defeat
pro-monarchists, regressive forces and those against democracy". He,
however, made it clear that the possibility of forming such alliance at
the central level has ended. "UML is ready to forge electoral alliance with left parties and those
favouring democratic republican [at the local level] because in this
election our party has adopted the policy of defeating the pro-monarchists
and making pro-republic forces victorious," he said talking to journalists
after a book launching ceremony in the capital Sunday. "The champions of change should win the constituent assembly election.
Only if this happens we would be able to draft a good constitution, a
progressive constitution," he said, adding, however, that the possibility
of forging this kind of alliance has all but ended at the central level. The UML has assigned the decision-making power on forging electoral
alliance to its district committees. Clearly hinting at the Maoists, the UML strongman said that it was
entirely meaningless to talk about electoral alliance [at the central
level] when "time has already passed".
"I had been talking about forging an electoral alliance right from the
start, but no body paid heed when there was still some time," he said. Maoist leaders have been lately expressing disappointment after failing to
forge electoral alliance with the UML in Kathmandu valley. Maoist chairman
Prachanda, who is contesting from Kathmandu 10 and Rolpa 2, said yesterday
the message from the lack of leftist alliance was "not good". Furthermore, general secretary Nepal said since all political parties are
vying to secure their majority in the Constituent Assembly election, there
is no possibility of any electoral alliance, clarifying that his party
would not engage in the "business of loss" by handing over its seat to
others. The UML had recently informed of its decision not to forge electoral
alliance with the Maoists in the valley. According to UML Kathmandu district committee secretary Rameshwore Phuyal,
party workers are not in favour of forging alliance with Maoists in the
valley. Talking to Kantipur daily, Krishna Gopal Shrestha, UML's candidate for
Kathmandu 10, said, "The constituency number 10 is a fortress of UML.
There is no need for an alliance in a place where we will win. But we have
sympathy for Prachanda. We want to see him win from Rolpa. We can help him
there." Meanwhile, senior Maoist leader Mohan Baidya (Kiran) has said that the
party has not been able to make any progress on forging electoral alliance
at the central level. Speaking to reporters in Kathmandu Sunday, Baidya also blamed some "unseen
elements" behind the much-touted electoral alliance not materialising. nepalnews.com ag Mar 09 08
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